E-safety Parent Workshop Helping to keep your children safe online
Parent Survey 95% of our children have access to the internet at home. 25% of parents do not know how to use privacy/security settings on the devices their children use. 38% do not feel confident with knowing age restrictions for particular websites/games. 61% of our parents do not use filtering or monitoring software on their devices.
Parent Survey Most parents do discuss the safe use of the internet at home with their children. Of the 33% who do not, 1/2 of them don’t because they don’t know enough about the subject to do so confidently.
Aims of the session E- safety in the Computing Curriculum. Reflect on the potential risks of internet use for children. Be aware of the importance of communication with children about the time they spend online. Understand how to find out about setting up parental controls on home and mobile devices. Know what to do if your child encounters problems online.
E-Safety in the National Curriculum The Computing Curriculum is divided into 3 strands: Computer Science Information Technology Digital Literacy
E-Safety in the National Curriculum Within the Digital Literacy strand, pupils will be taught to: “use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private and identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies”.
Why Is it Important? Latest Ofcom research has shown that 91% of 5-15 year olds live in a household with internet access and over a third of all 3-4 year olds are now accessing the internet in their homes.Ofcom research 34% of children aged 8-12 have a profile on sites that require users to be aged 13 or over e.g. Facebook (Childnet). 13% of UK 9-16 year olds say they have been bothered or upset by something online in the past year (Ofcom)
Children Online Potential Risks Contact: children can be contacted by bullies or people who groom or seek to abuse them Content: age-inappropriate or unreliable content can be available to children Conduct: children may be at risk because of their own behaviour, for example, by sharing too much information Commercialism: young people can be unaware of hidden costs and advertising in apps, games and websites
Children Online Potential Risks Cyber bullying Grooming Access to inappropriate websites (via pop-ups) Losing control over pictures and video / Giving out too much information online Viruses, hacking and security
Hidden Risks of Gaming Many online games have communication features which allow their users to interact anonymously e.g. Minecraft (all devices) and World of Warcraft (PC). Cyberbullies may harass fellow gamers and online scam artists may promise virtual goods in an effort to get credit card information e.g. World of Warcraft. Some game consoles allow internet access as well, so it is important to be aware of their communication features. preventing-abuse/keeping- children-safe/online- safety/online-gaming- stay-safe-avoid-risks/
Great tips and guides for parents/carers: Links to useful websites such as:
Tips for Parents Keep the computer in a high-traffic area of your home. Establish limits for which online sites children may visit and for how long. Remember that Internet technology can be mobile, so make sure to monitor mobile phones, gaming devices, and laptops. Surf the Internet with your children and let them show you what they like to do online. Know who is connecting with your children online and set rules for social networking, instant messaging, ing, online gaming, and using webcams. Check the browser search history on a regular basis.
Communication is Key Be a part of their online life; involve the whole family and show an interest. Find out what sites they visit and what they love about them. No filter or parental controls tool is 100% effective, and many of the risks that young people face online are because of their own and other’s behaviour. Create a family agreement for internet use, such as on
Discussion Starter Ideas What are your favourite things to do online? What is personal information? Why should you keep it private? What could you do to be safer online? What would you do if anyone online asked to meet you face-to-face? Besides me, who do you feel that you can talk to if you are in a scary or uncomfortable situation? How many people do you have on your buddy/contact list(s) and who are they? Have you ever chatted with someone you did not know in real life? What kinds of things did you talk about? Do you know how to block others in chat rooms and Instant Messenger? Can you show me how to do this? Go to for further examples.
Useful Websites/Resources carers carers safe/online-safety/ safe/online-safety/
What to do if your child sees inappropriate material online Don’t overreact if your child tells you about something they have seen. You might feel shocked and angry but by dealing with it calmly your child will know they can turn to you again. ALWAYS keep records of abusive messaging. Report abusive or inappropriate behaviour to the website and if serious, to the police. Keep the school informed too. If you come across illegal content, such as images of child abuse, you can report this to the Internet Watch Foundation at
DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEADS (DSL) Our Aims: The school will seek to establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to.
Please feel free to take some leaflets… The slides will be available on our school website, along with any links and information mentioned